Latest posts by Aparna Ray
India: The Supreme Court Upholds Right to Education
Soumalya Ray at Medica-India explains the recent Supreme Court judgement which upheld the Right to Education and mandated 25% reservation in private as well as government-aided minority schools for children from the weaker sections of society.
India: Administration Backlash over a Political Cartoon and it's Aftermath
The recent arrest of an university professor in West Bengal, India, over a humorous political cartoon has been met by stiff resistance and protest both online and offline. On his blog Pabitraspeaks, blogger Pabitra Mukhopadhyay discusses how the incident is another in a slew of recent incidents that have negatively...
India: Gearing Up for Better E-Waste Management
E-waste dumping and hazardous recycling by the non-formal sector has become a major challenge in India, where e-waste output has multiplied eight fold in the last seven years. A new legislation coming into effect from May 2012 hopes to streamline e-waste management in the country.
India: Renewing the Pledge Against Tuberculosis on World TB Day
In India, where TB is one of the biggest health challenges, the World Tuberculosis (TB) Day was observed in various parts of the country. A nationwide communication campaign has recently been launched in India, giving her a new superhero, Bulgam Bhai, to help fight the TB battle.
India: Tweet Fuels Communal Tensions in Kolkata
Earlier this week, certain areas of Kolkata in West Bengal, India, were brought to a grinding halt by protesters protesting against a certain tweet, allegedly posted by an Indian model, which was in turn published in a leading English daily. Netizens reported from the ground and also discussed the incident on social networks.
Bangladesh: Government Observation of Facebook Ignites Debate
For a while now, the Bangladeshi authorities have been keeping an eye on the social media space and the country's Facebook users are increasingly finding themselves in the eye of the storm. Recently the country's High Court sentenced an university teacher to a 6 month jail term after he failed to appear in court to face trial regarding his Facebook status update.
India: Did BBC Top Gear's India Special Really Offend Indian Sensibilities?
The BBC's recently aired Top Gear India Special episode contained humor that was not well received by some Indians. The issue got complicated as the Indian High Commission in London formally complained to the BBC saying it lacked cultural sensitivity. Netizens react.
India: The Curious Case of Draping Statues to Ensure Fair Elections
Netizens react to the recent order by the Indian Election Commission that all statues in the state of Uttar Pradesh of current Chief Minister Ms. Mayawati and her party symbol, the elephant, be draped by Wednesday 11 January, 2012.
India, UK: Killing of Indian Student in the UK Stirs Up Racism Debate
On Monday the 26th of December 2011, Anuj Bidve, a 23yr old Indian student from Pune, was shot dead at point blank range in Salford, Greater Manchester, UK. Netizens react to this incident, which has now been labelled as a 'hate crime'.
India: Growth of Online Shopping
Arun Prabhudesai at Trak.in points out a Comscore research report which claims that 3 out of every 5 Indian Internet users now shop online.
India: Some More Travel Tales in Images
Freelance travel writer and photographer Arun sums up his India travels in 2011, through a series of images.
Bangladesh: Suggestions for the New International Crimes Tribunal
The government of Bangladesh is planning to set up another International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) to help expedite trial of war criminals of 1971. Rumi Ahmed offers some suggestions in this respect, which he feels will enable the government to avoid the controversies dogging the current tribunal.
Nepal:No Place for Xenophobia
Blogdai writes that Nepal should stop blaming foreigners for each and every woe that comes its way, since national unity cannot be based on xenophobia.
Pakistan: Images from the Manghopir Shrine
Blogger Karachi Walla shares some images from a visit to the Manghopir Shrine – one of the oldest Sufi shrines located in the suburbs of Gadap town, to the North-West of Karachi.
Bangladesh:Hot Air Balloon Show in Dhaka
On 28th December, a hot air balloon show was held in Dhaka. In this context, photojournalist Monirul Alam discussed the history of hot air balloons.
Pakistan: Childhood Joys – Then and Now
Rabia Tirmizey at The Paradigm House points out that the meaning of joy and happiness has changed tremendously for kids in Pakistan and even the bar for happiness has risen. Simple pleasures such as those enjoyed by children of the '70s to early '90s no longer suffice.
India: Looking Back on 2011
Shashi Shekhar at Offstumped looks back on the year 2011 and finds that it has been anything but predictable.
Pakistan: On the Construction of Contemporary Pakistani National Identity
Masood Ashraf Raja at The Pakistan Forum feels that unless Pakistan takes a critical look at its political history and restructures it's national narrative, it will continue to remain a nation that is perpetually in crisis.
India: A Letter to the Home Minister, Protesting Forced Eviction
William Gomes writes an open letter to the Union Home Minister, Mr.P.Chidambaram, protesting against the recent police action against campaigners who were holding a protest rally demanding the repeal of the controversial Manipur Loktak Lake Protection Act, 2006.
Pakistan: Some Observations On the Recent Political Rally in Karachi
On 25th December, Imran Khan's political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), held a rally in Karachi. Kalsoom at Chup! – Changing Up Pakistan makes some observations about the event.
Sri Lanka: Learning Lessons By Counting Costs
Mahesan Niranjan at Groundviews writes a satire, with hard-hitting underpinnings, on the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) set up by the Sri Lankan government – to look into the events of the Sri Lankan Civil War during the period between February 2002 and May 2009.
